While Waseca puts the finishing touches on its $1 million Streetscape project for downtown, opinions differ about its value.

Mark Lieferman, Waseca community development director, said the goal was “to improve the appearance of downtown, to make downtown more inviting.”

None of the 10 downtown business owners contacted who were critical of the city’s project wanted their names printed, citing possible repercussions from the city.

Their criticisms included the cost, timing as well as the need for the project. Several people voiced concern about traffic issues, including bicycles and vehicles.

Some believe the money could have been better spent on other improvements to downtown. Some don't believe improving the sidewalks will bring customers to their businesses.

Others think it’s a nice improvement to downtown.

“Personally, I think it’s a nice look,” said Cindy Piche, owner of 4- Seasons Athletics, “The sidewalks were in bad shape.” Most of the previous sidewalks were put in during the middle 1980s.

Piche, like other business owners, will be glad when the construction is over. The project, started in July, is being constructed by Pember Cos. out of Wisconsin. The Mankato firm of Bolton and Menk is managing the project.

Unlike other storeowners, Piche doesn’t believe she lost a lot of business because her store is on a corner, so customers can come in from the side street.

Termed Streetscape, the project includes four blocks on State Street running from the railroad tracks on the south to the courthouse on the north end.

In addition to new sidewalks trimmed with a line of inlaid bricks, the city will have obelisks at the gateways, 64 removable bollards, three decorated intersections and other aesthetic elements.

The intersections also include bump outs, a major source of contention. Lieferman described the bump outs as “a traffic-calming device.” He said, “They also make pedestrians feel safer.”

Bump outs are rounded corners at the intersections that extend about six feet on two sides from a standard sidewalk. As a result the area that previously was used as a turning lane is now sidewalk, making it more difficult for vehicles, especially trucks to turn.

The street between the two bump outs on the south side of the courthouse is now 24 foot wide, Lieferman said. This is a fairly standard width and is the same as some Waseca County highways, according to Lieferman.

The design includes four obelisks, costing $8,500 each. “These serve as gateways,” he said. The 64 bollards, which are 4-foot decorative posts, will be installed at a cost of $68,000 on the bump outs as soon as they are available.